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Ice Cream Sandwich gets a two-minute tour, courtesy of a lucky eBay shopper (video)

The one Android update to rule them all — better known as Ice Cream Sandwich — is penciled in for an official launch sometime in the next two months, so it’s only natural for some shots to leak out. We just weren’t expecting a two-minute video showing off a few of the new features. As the story goes, a lucky gent ordered a Samsung Nexus S on eBay and, upon its arrival, noticed that his new prized possession looked a little… different. Hopping over to the About screen, he was shocked to discover that the device was running ICS. The firmware appears to be operating on the same baseband as the screenshots leaked a few weeks ago, but it’s running on an updated build (IRK48) and kernel (3.0.1).

We can see plenty of influence from both Gingerbread and Honeycomb here, as well as four shortcuts on the bottom (a definite bump from the two found on vanilla 2.3). There’s a new Google Apps icon which opens up a tray containing a number of featured services put out by the search giant, and long-pressing the home button brings up a vertical Honeycomb-style multitasking menu. The notification bar, camera UI and other menus also have a much different look. Granted, all of this could just be a custom ROM built to emulate the latest Google dessert, so we can’t be a full hundred percent certain that it’s authentic. If it’s not, at least we can give credit for it being incredibly elaborate. Enjoy the video and additional screenshot below.

[Thanks, anonymous]

Update: Our anonymous tipster has confirmed to us that shortly after we posted this video, his Nexus S was remotely locked and wiped. You can follow the entire saga over at this XDA Developers thread.

Continue reading Ice Cream Sandwich gets a two-minute tour, courtesy of a lucky eBay shopper (video)

Ice Cream Sandwich gets a two-minute tour, courtesy of a lucky eBay shopper (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 17:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Flickr Introduces Android App, Releases Photo Sessions Feature for Browsing Photos with Friends [In Brief]

It took them awhile, but Flickr finally has an Android app. It provides plenty of browsing, uploading, and sharing features, much like its iPhone counterpart. Additionally, Flickr has added a neat feature called Photo Sessions, allowing you and your friends to view a slideshow of photos at the same time. It includes text chat, so everyone can communicate, plus you can shift control of the slideshow to any participant. When your friends and/or family are not in the same place and want to look at photos together, it looks like a pretty slick way to get the job done. Hit up the Flickr blog for all the details. More »







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Android Honeycomb 3.2.1 update available now for the Asus Transformer

Today Asus rolled out the Android Honeycomb 3.2.1 update for their Transformer tablet. Updates are always fun and are generally an improvement to your Android experience. If you are the proud owner of a Transformer and haven’t received the update yet, press menu>settings>about> and check for a system update. According to Asus’s Facebook page, the update will bring:

Android 3.2.1:

  • Security enhancement

New Feature:

  • Supernote

IME/Translation:

  • Added Farsi IME support
  • Czech IME improvement : support Qwerty & Qwertz
  • JP SKU fixed translation bug and Polaris office font
  • Added more language translation into ASUS App

APP Updates:

  • CN SKU 3rd party app bug fix
  • Polaris office & ASUS WebStorage update

Improvements:

  • Browser with Adobe Flash improvement; ex: YouTube
  • Browser force-close improvement
  • Improve Wi-Fi stability
  • Improve Chinese handwriting prediction : recognize character from each stroke

Android Honeycomb 3.2.1 update available now for the Asus Transformer

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Baby pandas need a nap


Giant panda cubs lie in a crib at Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu, Sichuan province September 26, 2011. (REUTERS/China Daily)




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Samsung paying Microsoft royalties for phones and tablets running Android


Microsoft has been benefiting from Android for some time. They rake in the patent dough from all the manufacturers who produce an Android device. In the past HTC, Velocity Micro, General Dynamics, Acer and Viewsonic and now Samsung. In a press release this morning Microsoft stated that “signed a definitive agreement with Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., to cross-license the patent portfolios of both companies, providing broad coverage for each company’s products. Under the terms of the agreement, Microsoft will receive royalties for Samsung’s mobile phones and tablets running the Android mobile platform. In addition, the companies agreed to cooperate in the development and marketing of Windows Phone.”

It’s rumoured that HTC pays Microsoft $15 per Android device, but the talk is that since this Samsung will produce Windows Phone handsets that the price for them will fall to $10 per device. “Microsoft and Samsung see the opportunity for dramatic growth in Windows Phone and we’re investing to make that a reality… Microsoft believes in a model where all our partners can grow and profit based on our platform.”

Perhaps Microsoft will go after RIM next.

Source: Phandroid

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Amazon Kindle Fire tablet unveiled: Android-based, 7-inch display, $199 price tag

Okay, so it wasn’t much of a surprise, but Amazon finally has a tablet, and as expected its name picks up where the Kindle left off: Fire. Of course, rumors of an Amazon tablet date back to this time last year (if not before), but it seems that Jeff and co. have wisely chosen to get this thing out on the open market before having yet another wild and wacky holiday quarter. Bloomberg has curiously reported on some of the details before the event itself kicks off, noting that the 7-inch device will run a version of Android while acting much like a “souped-up Kindle.” The real kicker, however, is the price — at just $199, it’s bound to turn heads, regardless of whether you were interested in a slate before. Naturally, that bargain-bin sticker explains the lack of an embedded camera and microphone, though consumers will find WiFi (no 3G, sadly) and a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime. It’s also quite clear that Amazon’s hoping to make a bigger splash on the content side of things than has been made already by Apple, and with the deals flowing like wine, we wouldn’t be shocked if it does just that.

Update: Itching for specs? How’s about a 7-inch IPS (!) panel, Gorilla Glass coating, a 1GHz TI OMAP dual-core CPU, 512MB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage and a chassis that weighs 14.6 ounces. There’s also access to things you’d expect to have access to: Android Appstore (though no access to Google’s Android Market!), Kindle books, magazines, etc. — all stored for free via Amazon Cloud Storage. Per Jeff: “Delete it and get it back when you want.” Oh, and Whispersync now works with movies and TV shows! “When you get home, switch to your big screen TV. Your movie will be right where you left it.” While it’s clearly Android underneath, the actual UI looks effectively nothing like it — considering TechCrunch‘s intel that Amazon went and did its own thing without Google’s blessing, we guess that makes some level of sense. Oh, and pre-orders are set to start today (but only for Americans… boo), with shipments heading out on November 15th.

Update 2: We’ve added the first commercial video after the break.

Update 3: Check out our hands-on impressions right here!

Keep up with the unveiling at our liveblog of the Amazon event.

Continue reading Amazon Kindle Fire tablet unveiled: Android-based, 7-inch display, $199 price tag

Amazon Kindle Fire tablet unveiled: Android-based, 7-inch display, $199 price tag originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 09:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceBloomberg, Amazon  | Email this | Comments

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How to Enable the Hidden Windows 7 Admin Account Using the Registry

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Imagine you have a Windows PC with a single user account, and you just lost your password. Here’s how to enable the hidden Administrator account with nothing more than the install CD and some registry hacking magic so you can reset your password.

Normally if you wanted to enable the hidden administrator account from within Windows, you’d need access to an Administrator mode command prompt, but that won’t work if you don’t have access, right? This is a great way to quickly enable the hidden admin account so you can reset the password on your main account.

Note: This will require editing the registry which is risky. Proceed only if you know what you are doing and at your own risk.

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SaskTel announces their 4G devices are now available on Prepaid


Certainly not the biggest news but SaskTel has now made their 4G devices available on PrePaid. If you’re not into contracts and opt to purchase the device outright you can now do so, but you’ll have to fork out a bit for their prepaid plans. In addition, SaskTel prepaid is currently only available in Saskatchewan, roaming for some reason has not been set up yet, but “SaskTel anticipates that roaming outside Saskatchewan will be available in 2012 once roaming agreements are in place”. Prepaid data plans start at $15 for 150 MB and goes up to 3GB for $50. Talk and Text plans begin at $18/month and they also have a Prepaid BlackBerry Talk, Text & Data Plan for $40/month. Good to have options.

Source: SaskTel

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China readies its own space station module for launch

Presumably feeling a little left out after being turned down from the global love-in that is the International Space Station, China’s decided to go it alone. The ever-expanding nation will be ready to launch the first module of it’s very own space station, the Tiangong (Heavenly Palace), by the end of this month. The initial launch will be unmanned, delivering an 8.5-ton module ready for docking practise and other interactions with three more spacecraft that are planned to join it later this year. Pegged for completion by 2020 and with a complete weight of over 60 tons, the Tiangong will look positively petite compared to the hulking 419-ton ISS, but is also said to be significantly cheaper. Meanwhile, we still await China’s take on the Robonaut.

China readies its own space station module for launch originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Sep 2011 08:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink io9, Engadget Chinese  |  sourceChina Manned Space Engineering  | Email this | Comments

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Boeing officially delivers 787 Dreamliner to ANA, future of air travel finally arrives

It’s the plane so nice, they unveiled it twice. Boeing once again presented its long-awaited and much-delayed 787 Dreamliner to client All Nippon Airways, but this time the goods were officially delivered. After taking the wraps off the airliner early this August, the aerospace company managed to get a flight-ready unit over to its Everett, Washington production plant for a celebratory hand-off. Despite a fit of stops and starts for the line’s rollout, Boeing expects to meet ANA’s order of its future 55-strong fleet, producing an additional 20 craft for the Japanese airline by 2013’s end. If you want to be among the select few to call “First!,” you might want to consider booking that Japan-bound vacation now.

Boeing officially delivers 787 Dreamliner to ANA, future of air travel finally arrives originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Sep 2011 02:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceReuters  | Email this | Comments